I must be crazy.  After our large-scale Underrated Guitarist Poll, I have a similar poll to begin.  But first, my backstory: I had attended my monthly LP Record meet and managed to pick up a nice copy of Mott by Mott the Hoople on vinyl.  It was something that I listened to after playing my newly acquired Houses of the Holy.  A week later and I'm still listening to it.  Every song is perfect.  

Yes, we all have more than a few absolutely pure albums that we remember fondly and that we revisit completely on a continuous basis.  By that I mean that we play every song on the album.  There's no picking favourites because they all qualify, every song.

Mott is one of mine.  Sure, I have more...but not many.  Even favourite albums by favourite bands don't always qualify because there is that one...bad...song on it.  It may not be overly bad but it's typically the one you'll skip over  or play sporadically if only to keep in touch with it.  I have lots more just like that one and those are more typical.  For this poll, I'm looking for those albums that are perfect top to bottom, first track to last.

I'm sure that I'll get inundated with emails for this Poll but this one can lead me - and you - to music I haven't heard before.  I like that.  So once again, we crank up the Poll machine to see which albums, past and current, are perfect.

Have at it by clicking through on the link for Perfect Album.

I have two reviews for you today. First off is a review of the recently reissued 2009 remaster of Treason (1977) by Gryphon, reviewed by Robert Metcalf. I supply a review of the recently released new album, the perfectly classic The Sea by the returning Corinne Bailey Rae. I hope that you'll enjoy them both.

MusicTAP will be back on Friday!

We have some great new for fans of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. On March 30, Mute Records will continue their remastering campaign of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds with double-disc Collector's Edition sets of Tender Prey, The Good Son, and Henry's Dream. Each Deluxe Edition will contain the remaster CD of the original content, along with remixed 5.1 tracks, a short film by UK artists, Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard, plus B-sides, videos, and new and unique liner notes for these editions. These join last year's remastering project that included From Her to Eternity; The Firstborn Is Dead; Kicking Against the Pricks; and Your Funeral...My Trial. Full Tracklistings of the new packages follows:

FULL TRACKLISTINGS:

Tender Prey

1.     The Mercy Seat
2.     Up Jumped The Devil
3.     Deanna
4.     Watching Alice
5.     Mercy
6.     City Of Refuge
7.     Slowly Goes The Night
8.     Sunday’s Slave
9.     Sugar, Sugar, Sugar
10.   New Morning

Collectors Edition extras

Album in 5:1 

Extra tracks

The Mercy Seat (Video version) 
Girl at the Bottom of my Glass

The Mercy Seat (Acoustic version)

City of Refuge (Acoustic version)

Deanna (Acoustic version)

Videos: – also available for download to MP3/Ipod

Do You Love Me Like I Love You (Part 5)

The Mercy Seat

Deanna

Do You Love Me Like I Love You (Part 5:Tender Prey directed by Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard)

The Good Son 

1.     Foi Na Cruz
2.     The Good Son
3.     Sorrow’s Child
4.     The Weeping Song
5.     The Ship Song
6.     The Hammer Song
7.     Lament
8.     The Witness Song
9.     Lucy

Collectors Edition extras

Album in 5:1

Extra tracks

The Train Song

Cocks 'n' Asses

Helpless

Videos: – also available for download to MP3/Ipod

Do You Love Me Like I Love You (Part 6)

The Weeping Song

The Ship Song

Do You Love Me Like I Love You (Part 6: The Good Son) directed by Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard)

Henry's Dream

1.     Papa Won’t Leave You, Henry
2.     I Had A Dream, Joe
3.     Straight To You
4.     Brother, My Cup Is Empty
5.     Christina the Astonishing
6.     When I First Came To Town
7.     John Finn’s Wife
8.     Loom Of The Land
9.     Jack The Ripper

Collector’s Edition extras

Album in 5:1

Extra tracks

Blue Bird

Jack The Ripper (Acoustic version)

I Had a Dream Joe (Live)

The Good Son (Live)

The Mercy Seat (Live)

The Carny (Live)

The Ship Song (Live) 

Videos: – also available for download to MP3 / iPod

Do You Love Me Like I Love You (Part 7)

I Had a Dream, Joe

Straight to You

Jack the Ripper (Acoustic Version)

Do You Love Me Like I Love You (Part 7: Henry's Dream), directed by Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard 

Columbia Records announced today that they will release the new MGMT album on April 13 in both the US and Canada. The album, which will be known as Congratulations, will be welcomely filled with nine tracks ( "It's Working," "Song for Dan Treacy," "Someone's Missing," "Flash Delirium," "I Found a Whistle," "Siberian Breaks," "Brian Eno," "Lady Dada's Nightmare," and "Congratulations." ) It follows up their 2008 debut release, Oracular Spectacular.

The Fratellis' Jon Lawler will release his side-project's S/T debut effort, known as Codeine Velvet Club, from Dangerbird Records, scheduled for April 6.

Roadrunner Records will release No Guts, No Glory by Airborne on April 20.

Elektra Records will release a vinyl LP version of three Jackson Browne titles that include Late For the Sky, For Everyman, and the debut Jackson Browne. All LPs will be 180g vinyl and will be reissued on April 6.

Grateful Dead Productions will release a 3CD/1DVD Grateful Dead set called Crimson, White & Indigo: July 7, 1989 - JFK Stadium, Philadelphia, planning its release for March 30.

Reprise Records will be reissuing a Limited Edition 10th Anniversary CD (PA/Edited versions) of The Sickness by Disturbed, scheduling for March 23.

Curb Records will release digitally remastered CD versions of Hank Williams, Jr titles on March 23 that include The Pressure Is On, Whiskey Bent and Hell Bound, Habits Old and New, and Family Tradition.

Voyage Digital Media and Naxos of America will release four individual DVDs featuring complete video performances from four classic bands and artists from the '60s. These titles are Dusty Springfield: Once Upon a Time 1964-1969; Small Faces: All or Nothing 1965-1968; Gerry & The Pacemakers: It's Gonna Be All Right 1963-1965; and Herman's Hermits: Listen People 1964-1969. In addition to these individual DVDs, they will be Box packaged as a British Invasion Deluxe Box set that includes a bonus DVD with interviews and additional full-length video performances from Dusty Springfield, and Herman's Hermits. Click on the provided link for a video peek into each set, as well as full track-listings, and pre-order links. These British Invasion Series DVDs are expected on March 30.